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Course 1: Does failure feel the same in a man as it does in a woman?
It is very likely that you, me and our close circles, have internalized gender biases in our professional lives.
By:
Mujeres Sin Filtro
Why do men have it easier in the corporate world?
Transcript
Welcome to your course on bias and gender from Mujeres Sin Filtro. We are Fuckup Nights over the next few minutes we’ll try to answer some questions: How does gender bias manifest itself in everyday life? Why does it occur? What are the consequences in the professional world?
To answer these questions, we must first understand how the human mind works.
Our brains have automatic processes designed to conserve energy for tasks that don’t require much effort, such as brushing our teeth or making a cup of coffee. These mental processes aren’t limited to everyday activities; they also come into play when we make decisions and form judgments.
Since we cannot evaluate, think about, and form opinions on absolutely everything that happens to us in life, cognitive biases play a crucial role.
Biases are mental shortcuts that allow us to make quick decisions and guide us toward more effective actions in specific situations. And while these mental processes are useful, they are subjective. They are shaped by our culture, experiences, perceptions, emotions, historical and social contexts, and past learning.
Growing up in a system that has historically been unequal, misogynistic, and sexist, it is highly likely that you, I, and those close to us have internalized gender biases. These are mistaken beliefs that harm society and create inequality and discrimination. Yes, even if we are women.
For the remainder of this course, we will focus on biases that affect only women in society. Although these biases can also lead to other phenomena, such as transphobia and homophobia, among others.
Gender bias refers to the omission of how women, men, and gender relations are conceptualized within a given issue. At times, this bias influences the design of public programs and policies, overlooking gender-specific needs.
According to the author Margrit Eichler, there are three types of gender bias:
Androcentrism: The identification of the male with humanity in general, rendering women invisible.
Gender insensitivity: Failing to consider sex and gender as significant variables in given contexts; failing to question the differing effects on women and men. This bias tends to perpetuate inequalities.
Double standards: This is the opposite of gender insensitivity, but it has the same consequences. Double-standard bias occurs when different criteria are used to treat and evaluate similar situations involving the two genders.
But when did we start developing these biases?
Girls are raised to please others. Boys, on the other hand, take more risks and fail more often, which helps them develop greater self-confidence.
According to data from UN Women, by the age of 6, a girl will begin to believe that boys are smarter or better suited for activities typically associated with more intelligent people.
Things won't get better with time.
According to the study *I'm Not Good Enough* by researchers Katty Kay and Claire Shipman, by the age of 8, that girl will have lost 30% of her confidence in her own abilities.
By the time they reach adolescence, they will have just over a third left .
These learned inequalities will shape mindsets and reinforce certain gender biases, carrying them over into social and professional spheres. In the workplace, it is very common to see how these inequalities lead to employment gaps:
Wage Gap: This refers to the difference between men’s and women’s wages expressed as a percentage of men’s wages, according to the OECD.
Women around the world work more hours on average each week than men. And this work is often poorly paid or goes unrecognized. According to UN Women, the gender pay gap in Latin America stood at 87% in 2019. They estimate that, due to the pandemic, this gap will remain the same or worsen.
Leadership gap: This gap stems from the barriers and constraints that prevent women from accessing or remaining in positions of responsibility or leadership. In 2012, according to the Latin Business Chronicle, only 9 of the top 500 companies in Latin America were led by women.
This phenomenon is also known as the “glass ceiling.” Women encounter invisible barriers that are difficult to overcome despite our qualifications, largely due to institutional factors. Added to this phenomenon are factors such as inequality in child-rearing, which falls entirely on us.
Gender gap by industry: The belief that many girls hold about professions requiring intelligence ends up becoming a reality. The gender gap by industry refers to the perception that certain industries and professions are suited for women.
According to the study *Women in the Digital Age*, three out of every 10 women worldwide are pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This represents 8% of engineering students and 3% of information technology students.
This gender pay gap, which we will discuss in more detail later in another module, stems from misconceptions about “feminized” and “masculinized” professions. For example, women predominate in the caregiving sector because these jobs are associated with dedication, love, sensitivity, and selflessness. Wages for these jobs vary depending on whether men or women make up the majority of the workforce in a given sector.
These gaps are just a few of the many we encounter in the professional world as women, not to mention other issues in the social sphere. Closing these gaps is everyone’s responsibility, as they affect us all equally. According to the 2011 World Development Report, productivity could increase by up to 25% in some countries if discriminatory barriers against women were eliminated.
Sometimes, overcoming these barriers—and being part of those small percentages in leadership roles or industries—places expectations and stereotypes on us that affect our mental health.
When we navigate this system that works against us, we feel pressured to defend our progress. We have to prove our worth every day and show that we’re “worth it.” These demands give rise to harmful mantras and concepts that we throw around left and right. You know, those super cheesy Instagram posts with hashtags like #empowerment, #badasswomen, and #superwomen.
We also have the right to be vulnerable, to fail, and to break down—whether we’re in high-profile positions or running fledgling startups with growth potential. That’s why it’s important to share our failures, and that’s why Mujeres Sin Filtro exists.
Although the figures paint a rather bleak picture, we’ll explore later how to shift these paradigms and drive change from leadership positions. See you later.
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